In My Stride
by briannanolly
Summary: After his long train of thought, he returned to reality in time to catch the last verse. "So, while I'm at the slams I'll watch you grow old, I'll always be the younger man for you to hold, you'll be alright," Yeah, he'd always be there for Rivaille to hold as long as he'd accept him. - Oneshot. Ereri. Modern day AU. T for language.


**Author's Note:** Just a short oneshot based off one of my favorite songs- In My Stride by Oh Mercy. You should check it out! I apologize if there are any grammatical mistakes or anything of that nature. Also, tell me if you think there are any moments where Eren or Rivaille seem OOC. There's always room for improvement! Thanks for viewing, enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Shingeki No Kyojin, nor do I own Eren, Rivaille, or the song In My Stride by Oh Mercy. All content belongs to their rightful owners.

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It was a rainy Sunday morning, and by 11, Eren and Rivaille had both gotten up (out of the same bed) and while Rivaille was getting breakfast started, Eren began to fold the week's laundry load.

The two lived together in an awfully cramped, but cozy, 1 bedroom apartment. Inside, were their master bedroom, a small living area, kitchen, and washing room. It wasn't much, but it was theirs, and the two couldn't be more content with life, though this was rarely expressed by either of them.

"Eren, would you rather have hotcakes and sausage or eggs and bacon?" Rivaille shouted from the kitchen to the washing room, louder than necessary, considering the size of their rather tiny home. He didn't mean it, or maybe he didn't seem to care, but everything Rivaille said had always come off with a striking sense of authority, even if it was something as simple as asking his boyfriend- he always flushed whenever he called Eren his boyfriend- what he preferred for breakfast.

This didn't phase Eren much anymore.

"Both! I'm still growing, after all." Eren enthusiastically responded. He could _almost hear the smile on his lover's face_, which Rivaille then urged to fade away with an exaggerated scoff.

"Fine."

Feeling satisfied, the brunette sat on the cheap stool placed to the side of the dryer that they had found one evening in front of their apartment complex after returning from work. It was black steel, with a round slightly padded seat with a black leather cover.

Padded or not, though, it still kind of hurt Eren's butt whenever he folded the laundry.

Reaching over the dryer grab the basket of warm clothes, (Eren had always loved freshly dried clothes) he knocked over the portable radio and it clattered to the ground, making more noise than he expected. "Damn it," he hissed.

"You okay?" He heard Rivaille shout from the kitchen.

It had warmed his heart up a little more, knowing that Rivaille was comfortable enough with him to show concern for the littlest things, unnecessary, even. To anyone that knew the stoic man, expressing worry was a huge indicator that you were someone important to him. Eren thought of it as a luxury, even. It took some time, but Rivaille even complimented or praised the brunette occasionally now and it was something his co-workers had always made fun with.

Eren's cheeks become a light, rosy color. "Yeah, thanks."

Picking up the radio that was surprisingly undamaged, he proceeded to turn it on and tune into a station that he'd grown to fancy. With that, he got finally started.

After a few commercials, the introduction to some song began playing and Eren thought it was quite lovely.

_Damn, that was a girly thing to think._

Due to his life with Rivaille, he was nearly always completely at ease, and the temper Eren was well known for had nearly dissolved and only resurfaced when he had a fight with the older man or when he had a shit day at work. He had almost nothing to worry about, therefore becoming less tense overall and he lost his grumpy atmosphere, though that wasn't a bad thing.

Sometimes he thought that he should be manlier, and that with all the things he's been through that he should be a tough, big guy but the older man had loved him when he was a scrawny, confused intern so Eren figured he would love him in any form.

The first verse to the song came rolling in and Eren hummed along while he steam pressed one of Rivaille's work dress shirts. He felt like a housewife.

_**When I'm 21, she'll be 35,**_

This caught Eren's attention, since it was extremely similar to the age gap between he and his Rivaille.

_**She makes me dry her t-shirts, but, I don't mind,-**_

_Huh._ What great timing.

_**-'cause when I'm weary, she offers me her shoulder,**_

It was starting to feel like this song was written for his boyfriend and him.

The lyrics were extremely accurate.

When he first landed his job at Rivaille's company two years ago, the raven haired man was nothing but cold to him. It took some warming up, but in a few months in he found himself falling asleep in Rivaille's office, resting his head on his suited shoulder and waking to a note taped to his forehead from Rivaille, acting as if he hadn't just napped with a (_really damn cute_) 19 year old boy, and demanding him to get back to work.

_**I make her feel young, she makes me feel older,**_

In some ways, Rivaille had made Eren feel like a capable, mature young adult while other times Eren had brought out the child-like innocence in Rivaille that he really never had a chance to enjoy.

After his long train of thought, he returned to reality in time to catch the last verse.

_**So, while I'm at the slams I'll watch you grow old, I'll always be the younger man for you to hold, you'll be alright, **_

Yeah, he'd always be there for Rivaille to hold as long as he'd accept him-

"Hey, brat," the nickname Rivaille chose for his lover had become more adoring and less degrading over time. He poked his head through the door, and from this angle Eren thought he'd never see a pair of grey eyes as spectacular again.

"-are you finishing up with the laundry? Breakfast is ready." Rivaille said gently. He then noticed one of his favorite songs on the radio coming to a close, and he smiled a smile no one else but Eren would ever see.

"Oh, I was hoping you were listening to the radio. I put in a word with the station; I thought you'd like that song." Rivaille swiveled on his heels and spoke without looking back.

"Now, hurry and finish so we can eat together. I won't wait be waiting for you when the food gets cold."

Eren hurried to complete the pile of folded clothes, and as he did, he listened carefully.

_**Oh my, my, t****here's a feeling inside, a****nd the door's open wide, **_

_**I****'m gonna take you in my stride**_

_**Oh my, my**, **t****here's some dishes to dry**, a**nd the towels are soaked wet**_

_**And I'm not finished with you yet**_

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**Author's Note:** How was it? Please let me know! Feedback is appreciated. Thanks for viewing! :)


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